The present invention relates to a method for measuring the tendency of and degree which a synthetic resinous particulate solid will agglomerate. More particularly, the invention relates to a method for measuring the tendency and degree of chlorinated polyethylene particles to agglomerate.
"Blocking" is a term used to define the tendency of a polymeric resinous powder to form clumps or lumps by agglomeration. Blocking is generally undesirable because users of a resinous powder require that they remain free-flowing for storage, transport and blending purposes. A reliable test or method is therefore needed to measure and predict the tendency and degree of resinous powders such as chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) to block.
A prior-art method for measuring this tendency utilizes an instrument similar to that used to make column compression tests on structural materials, in which two flat plates are used to break a sample cake. This method can be used only for low-blocking synthetic resinous materials and, moreover, is inaccurate and unreliable.